Chapter 243: The Demon-Sealing Tower!
"Red-Haired Shanks is about to destroy the Marine Family's monument!"
News gulls circled overhead, transmitting live footage in real-time.
Morgans lowered the brim of his hat, face filled with excitement, clearly hoping for chaos as he broadcasted frontline updates across the world.
The world was reaching a boiling point.
A wave of repressed and surging emotions—like magma trapped under volcanic rock—was just waiting for the smallest crack to erupt.
In the bustling and lively Sabaody Archipelago,
a key crossroads into the New World, pirates, bounty hunters, and merchants moved about constantly.
They watched the Den Den Mushi feed with high-strung expressions.
"The Revolutionary Leader failed… couldn't break through the Navy's defenses. The Navy's strength is unimaginable now."
"If this continues… is there any future left for pirates?"
In chaotic taverns, some pirates were already sinking into despair.
The stronger the Navy became, the more stable the world grew.
And for pirates who lived by plunder and violence, that was suffocating.
Even the strongest pirate crew—Whitebeard's—had been defeated.
Was the Navy really going to begin patrolling all four seas?
"Damn Revolutionaries! Always talking big about overthrowing the World Government, but they can't even take down the Five Elders' guard dogs!"
Some pirates spewed curses, shifting their fear of the Navy into anger toward the Revolutionaries, who had failed to win.
Scenes like this unfolded in bars everywhere.
"Madmen."
Amidst the noisy jeers and complaints, a quiet voice suddenly cut in.
A disheveled old man with white hair and glasses, ignoring the growing silence around him, sipped at his beer—bought with every last coin he had.
"Did you just… insult me?"
A towering pirate captain stood up, his head nearly hitting the ceiling, and slowly walked over.
People nearby backed away in fear.
"Two-hundred-million bounty! It's the Blood Butcher—a rising pirate star!"
A merchant recognized him and quickly slipped out the door.
"You dare insult the captain? I'm gonna skin you alive!"
The crew was as vicious as their captain.
The old man didn't even blink. In the same calm tone, he said,
"Apologies. I misspoke. You misunderstood."
"I wasn't just talking about you…"
"To be precise, I was talking about this entire chaotic era.
Even legends like Whitebeard, Sengoku, and Garp—those who once challenged Pirate King Roger—have gone mad trying to control it."
Despite his harsh words, the old man smiled faintly.
"You're dead!"
The Blood Butcher raised his fist to strike—
Boom.
A burst of Haki exploded outward, knocking everyone in the bar unconscious.
The white-haired old man—no, the man once known as the Pirate King's right hand,
Silvers Rayleigh, the Dark King—returned to his quiet shack.
"You went out and caused trouble again. If you keep doing this, someone's going to realize who you are. Isn't that a problem?"
"It's fine."
Rayleigh's calm reply didn't surprise Shakky. "So, you've made up your mind?"
"I have."
Since the Reincarnation Game appeared in the East Blue, Rayleigh had been secretly active around Sabaody Archipelago,
seizing assets from pirates and shady merchants.
Shakky didn't comment or try to stop him—she just watched in silence.
"Then go. Geez… you're not getting any younger and still can't sit still."
She grumbled while packing his things.
Rayleigh scratched his head and laughed.
"If Garp and Whitebeard—those old fossils—can still fight these new kids, then I'm not that old, right?"
Even if Roger's crew had hidden away, they were never truly retired.
Rayleigh had been waiting for an event big enough to shake the world.
He thought maybe it would be started by Whitebeard, or a new rising star.
He never expected it to come from the least likely source—
Shanks.
The one who had always believed fate would end well.
The one who most wanted peace on the seas.
The one who was now deliberately stirring the storm.
Rayleigh didn't understand—and didn't want to.
Because unlike Shanks, who believed in fate,
he followed another line from Roger:
"If you get the chance, turn the world upside down."
And now… the time had come.
"There's the Revolutionary Army trying to topple the World Government…
chaotic pirates…
and the Yonko…"
Rayleigh's eyes gleamed sharply.
"In that case, how can the freest pirate of them all stay out of it?"
"Captain Roger's will… isn't something a kid like Shanks can fully grasp.
Let this old man be the one to shout it to the world!"
…
Across all four seas, eyes turned to the Marine family's territory.
"Not good!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru frowned, watching the Red-Haired Pirates get dangerously close to the family monument.
Borsalino became light and deflected multiple bullets fired from Yasopp's sniper rifle, shielding the monument.
He held a golden, glowing weapon—
A golden Hunting Spear.
Kizaru looked shaken, patting his chest and pouting.
"Whew… If I hadn't become a magic lancer and turned into stronger light, Shanks might've destroyed the family we worked so hard to build."
"Kizaru, huh?"
Yasopp frowned, but wasn't surprised.
When it came to speed, Admiral Kizaru was top-tier.
The Glint-Glint Fruit was naturally overpowered.
"You planning to stop us?"
Shanks raised Gryphon, pointing the blade at Kizaru.
"Not even a little room to talk things over? Tsuru still wanted me to negotiate with you, you know."
Kizaru hadn't expected this.
Tsuru had told him Shanks hated chaos. He'd surely be willing to talk.
So why was he drawing his blade now?
He could tell—
Shanks wasn't bluffing.
He truly meant to destroy the Marine family's monument.
"If you wreck the monument, it'll be a huge loss for the Navy.
But I might not be able to stop you. What a pain."
Even after getting new powers, he still couldn't handle the entire Red-Haired crew.
If he weren't carrying a 20-billion-debt, he'd have pretended not to see anything by now.
Monument? Pirate raid? Whatever.
What a pain.
Kizaru scratched his head, stalling for time.
But Shanks wasn't giving him any.
Asura Evil Light Slash!
Two massive wave-infused slashes flew toward the monument, like twin falling crescent moons.
"Such a pain!"
Kizaru groaned.
Behind him, five golden spears appeared like a glowing wall.
Hunting Spears!
Golden energy blazed as he launched a massive beam into the sky.
A golden barrier formed—
But it shattered under the Evil Light Slash.
With the [Shadow Wrath] boost, Shanks' wave slashes couldn't be stopped by Kizaru alone.
"No choice left!"
Kizaru teleported to the front of the monument and slapped the ground.
[Place Building: Demon-Sealing Tower]?
Prompt: Once placed, buildings cannot be easily moved. Changing the location requires a [Structure Transfer Scroll].
"Yes."
He confirmed without hesitation.
BOOM—
The Marine family's land trembled. A powerful aura swept the area.
Everyone who wasn't part of the Marine family felt their hearts skip a beat.
A glowing golden tower rose from the earth.
It wasn't complete—just the first level of its base.
But the pressure it exuded made it feel divine.
Though lifeless, it felt like a sacred idol staring into the hearts of all who looked upon it.
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